Who are you?
by jodyowl11
Summary: Start at CH.3 for Angst. The fic in an AU where Dick Grayson is female, and with a couple new twists here and there. She has spunk and she ain't stage shy- how is Bruce going to cope with her? No, this is not going to be a Mary Sue or OC- this is just fem!Dick. Taking suggestions in reviews.
1. Family

**SKIP TO CHAPTER 3 for people who want the action to start already!**

I've always wanted to read something like this. Well, okay, there are fem!Dick out there, but all of them are pretty sexist. In this story Dick is not going to be a damsel in distress. Her name's Reyna and nothing can break her- or so she thinks. Review with any cannons and ideas you want to read, because I will write. This story is probably going to be a series of shots in the beginning of her life. See any corrections to be made? Should I continue?

* * *

 **Synopsis**

An AU where Dick Grayson is female, and with a couple new twists here and there.

To Mary and John Grayson she is Reyna Grayson, their daughter. To protect her from human trafficking (a danger in the circus business) they disguise her as Richard Grayson, the youngest of the Flying Graysons. After the drama, she ends up in Gotham per her father's will.

The name at the top in bold will tell you what perspective the chapter is. Anything in italics are either in Romani or for emphasis.

* * *

 **Reyna**

Reyna reached for the plate of cookies she knew would always be on the small kitchen countertop.

"Don't you dare, my little robin!"

Reyna sent a glare towards her mother, who was still putting on makeup.

" _Mama, I wouldn't be hungry if you didn't take so long putting on your makeup! Mister Haley will be mad at us if we're late for the stage!"_

A pause,

 _"_ _Plus, Mister Haley promised me that I could spend some time with Aran at the ticket booth if we were early…"_

Her mother glared at her, "First of all, understand that I expect you to speak English when spoken in English to. If I were to let you run around with that Russian boy selling tickets speaking Romani- it would be a wonder if there were even one person sitting in the audience!"

Reyna looked down, blushing, not that you could tell much under her tan, "Yes, Mama."

Her father laughed his deep throaty laugh where he leaned on the wall across from her, "I bet the little robin is not even hungry! Reyna is just nervous for her performance tonight!"

Reyna blushed even deeper, "No I'm not Papi!"

"Who would have ever thought Reyna would be nervous? I thought that wasn't even in her dictionary!" Her father teaser her with a sparkle in his eye.

Her mother rolled her eyes, putting the makeup set away and getting up. Reyna blushed even deeper, embarrassed at her mother's remark. It was not that she could not speak English, it was just sometimes hard to notice what language she was hearing or speaking- they all usually just blended together in her brain.

Reyna never understood why her mother even needed makeup; the Romani features, long brown hair, beautiful tan skin and curved hazel eyes made her beautiful. Reyna would always be jealous of her mother's features. Thanks to her father, she had unruly black hair and light blue eyes that stood shockingly out of her tan skin- the only thing she got from her mother. She self-consciously smoothed down her short boy-cut as her father took her by the shoulders and guided her out of the family trailer.

* * *

Review "Continue" if you think there should be more. Tell me what specific parts you would like to hear about her story, or what you're confused on. Or be a cookie and click follow/favorite. :)


	2. Setup

Well this is where the gender switch plays a role. Sorry to those all who want a bit more action and angst- I PROMISE it will come with the next chapter- I swear!

To other fellow and inspired authors: please write your own fanfics or one-shots based on this universe! You don't even have to give me credit, but please tell me if you do write anything, because I will be your first follower :)

Disclaimer: You know what I would say here. It really doesn't matter.

 **Richard**

Richard, not Reyna, stood at the front of the VIP entrance along with Aran. To any outsider, they would only see two small boys playfully gossiping with each other, pushing the other around until a guest came. They stood straight as they guided guests to their respective seats, reciting their lines and moving with a ease that comes with the experience of many shows. Per the adults and performers, there was only so much heavy work children could do during opening night.

The other boy, all blonde hair and blue eyes, leaned towards Richard and whispered in his ear with a cupped hand, "I'll take the next missus Richard, you can take the guy after her."

Before Richard could protest, Aran strode up to the beautiful woman in a red dress with all his nine-year-old glory and charm, taking her arm and leading her to her seat. Aran looked back at Richard and have him a wink, and nodded towards the other limo that drove up.

Richard refused to meet Aran's eye as he turned and put on a smile for the man getting out of the car. Of course Aran guess right, Richard thought, the man seemed rich and posh, used to his kind of life. Richard picked out the differences from other rich men easily though. Whoever this man was, they were in top physical shape and did not seem to think his obvious wealth meant his respect or attitude should be compromised. Richard smiled as he played his little game of detective- a habit quickly developed by anyone born to the stage. Richard could hear a conversation in the distance,

"Don't worry Alfred, I'll try to enjoy myself.". The man started walking towards him, leaving the fancy limousine behind. Richard picked up the underlining strain beneath the reassurance.

Richard felt nervous, sensing the man did not want to come to the circus in the first place. He felt self-conscious again, thinking about the pretty red dress. All he was wearing was a red leotard and bright leggings, covered with his mother's intricate embroidery with sequins. What if the man didn't like the circus? He had plenty of experience with mean costumers that he did not want to repeat; his smile wavered a bit. Richard ran a hand over his hair and brushed it off with a smile, standing straight with an arm out for the man to take.

"Right this way sir!"

 **Richard**

Richard and the man walked inside the big tent, and Richard relaxed again. The loud music, the smell of popcorn, and the warmth of the audience packed in the stands was a familiar sight that made pride bloom inside his chest. The man, Bruce Wayne according to the ticket Richard ripped earlier, sat down at his seat.

"May I get you anything before the show starts sir?

"Ah, nothing today Mister…?"

Richard cleared his throat in embarrassment, not being used to being called 'Mister'. "Richard Grayson, sir.", he replied.

The man raised his eyebrows, "One of the Flying Graysons?"

"The youngest sir." Pride bloomed again as Richard thought of his parents preforming, "Today will be my first big act!". Anyone could tell this child thrived in attention and on stage with that childish smile and pride.

The man gave a small smiled before replying "Well, I look forward to it- good luck today.".

Richard smiled and bowed before leaving, but not before noticing the way the man seemed continuously on edge, as if anything could pose a threat. Richard flashed back, to maybe two or three hours ago, when he saw three big men exit Mr. Haley's field office after some words he didn't understand. We're these men connected? Probably not, Richard reasoned, he was probably nervous like his father said earlier and jumping to conclusions because of it.

He was still thinking about those men when he joined Aran back at the entrance.

"Richard?"

"Oh- what?" Richard snapped out of his daze. "Sorry, I got the next guest."

"No its not that," Aran huffed, obviously annoyed his friend wasn't paying attention to him, "You're parents are calling you backstage."

Richard sucked in a breath of excitement, immediately forgetting about Bruce Wayne and his suspicions. Running off, Richard flashed a smile back at his friend "I'll see ya after the show! Tell Zitka hi for me!"

Aran laughed, throwing his blond hair back, "Don't worry about my animals Richard. Good luck!".

Aran knew his friend was really a 'her', but to like most children at that age, unaffected by society's norms and expectations, it did not matter to him. Aran knew that they would be friends forever, and felt happy that Richard would trust him with such a secret. In return, Aran had trusted Richard to the back door of the animal's keep. There, along with their other friends, they would spend hours in some imaginary world, or talking about where the circus would travel next.

It would be a while until the laughing children met again. In fact, my reader, when they would meet, it would be under very different circumstances. If Aran and Reyna were ever destined to be together, that path withered and died tonight.

I squished two shots in here to speed up the plot a little. Yay or nay for this chapter length? Next chapter is where the angst and depression starts. Follow and review so I can tell if its going in the right direction- no judging. Review any ideas, seriously. I wrote this fic because I could not find anything like it, and I don't want my readers to be like that.

Reviews are appreciated to an extent few know, thank you :)


	3. End of the Beggining

A decent sized chapter. At last, a shot where we have intense emotion and action! Like it?

Continuing from Richard's perspective last chapter (Male perspective of our main character, Reyna Grayson, who is the actual fem!Dick)

Disclaimer: The usual. You know.

 **Richard**

His mother's blue eyes flashed with fear as he reached out to catch her hands, making him hesitate for a precious, precious second.

Later, he would remember a snap of wire along with the look, but a child does not hear nor feel as they consider their mother's eyes. They only search for hope, and for the comfort they trust is there.

Richard let out a loose guttural scream as his hands stretched towards his mother. Small palms outstretched, but already calloused from the hours of circus work by his father's side. From sewing costumes by his mother's side.

Most works of literature would depict a soft brushing of fingertips, dramatizing the moment, giving enough time for their audience to absorb the emotion and picture. But this was reality. The son's hands were never close enough to the mother- she had fallen far too early to have the chance. Nevertheless, the audience briefly saw the mother reaching out to touch her son's hands, reaching, once more.

Richard saw her painted hands stretched towards her son as she screamed something full of terror at him, the words lost in the wind. In the blink of an eye they were on the sandy floor of the tent. There must have been screams, he reasoned later, but now the silence crashed into him and his head hurt. His hands still reached down as he sat on the platform, but he could not seem to register the small forms far down below him. His mother's hazel eyes seemed to be still locked onto him, frozen in terror.

Somehow - he does not remember - he was climbing off the ladder and onto the floor. He stumbled and the familiar rough sand suddenly felt like a barrier between him and his parents. It scratched at his knees and under the leggings as he sat between his parents.

No one had turned off the stage lights, so he could not see the faces or forms in the audience as they rushed out of the big tent. There must have been faces of horror and terror. But that did not matter, because his eyes were not focused in that direction.

The skulls were clearly cracked in many places, and blood and brain matter oozed out in others. Blood leaked out of his parent's ears and nose, a trickle of it still dripping from his father's mouth.

He continued to see the scene in front of him, and later Mr. Haley would say that his eye's looked dead and unfocused, not really seeing anything in front of him.

Their costumes may have covered the majority of their injuries, but Richard could see the bones sticking out of his father's leg. He refused to look directly at the face as the heat of the tent suddenly seemed to make him dizzy and numb. His chest constricted and hurt. These could not be his parents! No, they could not be here! They were just getting ready backstage; his mother hadn't even finished her makeup. His father promised him they would fly together for the final act just last week. Where, where were- where? Richard could not seem to think as he receded inside his mind, the blood pooling and soaking the sand around him. What had happened? Had he done something? He could not seem to function or realize tears were quietly flowing down his face as he held his mother's hand, bloody, but still warm.

 **Mr. Haley**

The little child did not notice as Mr. Haley rushed over to him as other men -police and circus alike- rushed to the center of the ring. There was not a sound from the boy's mouth as Mr. Haley pulled him off the ground, not bothering with the blood on his leggings making the sand stick to him. Richard seemed not to hear or notice anything as his mother's hand slipped from his. His eyes were dead, and unseeing. Mr. Haley got the boy's eyes to flicker towards him when he shouted his name, but that was the only response he got. The boy managed to be lead out of the ring and outside the big tent, where a medic rushed over to him, seeing the blood on his leggings.

Someone must have called 911, but there was no one to save. No one could have been that fast.

Mr. Haley sucked in a breath as the medic looked up at him after examining Richard, who was still leaning on his arm. He did not want to let the small child go, but the child did not seem to care or notice.

"He will be alright, although I think he's going into shock- his eyes a dilated, his pulse is irregular, and he doesn't seem to respond to my words.", The medic looked at him expectantly.

"Of course," Mr. Haley nodded, not really understanding the meaning of what the medic said, but getting the basic gist.

He started to guide Richard away from the shadow of the big tent and towards his field office when Richard suddenly stiffened.

 **Richard**

The colors swirled in front of his eyes, and his breath hitched. He roughly turned back on the arms that were holding him, and attempted to run back to the big tent. The arms were strong however pushing against his ribs painfully, and Richard's head started to hurt real bad. He weakly tried to push through the arms that were holding him back, but it was hard when he couldn't see where he was going- he couldn't focus on anything. His lungs weren't working properly as he tried to breathe in. He took another shuddering breath in and started to panic as he worked harder against the force holding him back. His chest hurt a lot now, and he was starting to feel dizzy, and he couldn't think straight. Was he even breathing? Wht was happening? He has to get away, Richard thought, he's in danger!

Two hands roughly grabbed his shoulders, and shouted something at him, assaulting his ears with words he could not understand. He couldn't focus-it hurt to focus- it hurt to breath- he couldn't think-what was-

"Richard!"

The voice shocked him (Who was this? It was unfamiliar, but seemed _right_ ), and he could suddenly breathe again, collapsed on the man's chest as warm arms surrounded him in an uncomfortable, shielding him from the cold Gotham wind. His breathes hurt as oxygen returned to his lungs, and he closed his eyes, trying to block images from his mind. What images? No, he shouldn't think about those. Just focus on something else… right? Richard thought no more as darkness and exhaustion overtook him.

 **Bruce**

He was searching, searching. There was a small boy, he remembered the name, Richard. Just a few hours ago welcoming him into the tent. Where was he? Bruce ran around, and asked for the boy. The ambulance had left empty long ago, and the people from the morgue were just now driving away. The police were the only ones left, and he caught the eye of Detective Gordon, who silently let Bruce through the police barrier, knowing that Bruce would connect to the small boy.

Bruce rushed through, silently nodding at Gordon in thanks. He could see the boy suddenly stop a larger man's hands, and struggle. The larger man- Mr. Haley as Batman would learn later on- was struggling to keep the boy away from the tent.

"Come on Richard! Please, my child!" Mr. Haley begged.

Richard's efforts against Mr. Haley suddenly weakened, and Bruce realized the child was about to go into either a panic attack, or deep shock. He knelt in front of the boy, not caring if his suit pants got stained from the mud. He looked at Mr. Haley for permission, and the older man gratefully nodded, not knowing how to deal with the situation.

It was a pity that Bruce had plenty of experience with the subject.

Richards eyes were not focusing on him, but Bruce grabbed the small boy's shoulders and shook them anyways. The boy was stuggling to breathe now, and Bruce panicked for a second (Honestly he hadn't been this close to _any_ child since that children's charity a few months ago- what the hek was he thinking?). If he could get the boy to focus on something else quickly- damage could be averted.

He shouted "Richard!" but the boy didn't seem to hear him. This time he shook the boy's shoulders and shouted again. Miraculously, the boy managed to take a deep shuddering breath and his eyes slowly focused. Bruce hugged the boy close, and looked up to Mr. Haley smiling down on him. Bruce could feel the boy's heartbeat return to rhythm and sighed in relief. Bruce handed the boy, now passed out from exhaustion, to Mr. Haley. The man accepted the small boy gratefully.

A few words were exchanged before they parted their respective ways. Bruce would be coming back tomorrow to help with the press and financially. Mr. Haley, knowing that he would not be able to keep the boy thanks to social services, hoped the rich man would come back soon for another reason.

Guest or not, leave a one word review to record your presence! Leave more than that if you want a better chapter- I appreciate any and all advice and suggestions. Thanks.


	4. Why We're Here

Okay, so this is probably a standard Dick finally meets Bruce chapter, so I skipped some parts that are popularly written about. There's probably one or two more brief chapters in here with important events before we hit the big reveal.

 **Reyna**

Reyna sat on a bench on the side wall at the Gotham Police Station. A brand-new duffle bag (graciously provided by the nice lady from social services) underneath the bench was filled with her cloths and possessions. She was told the rest of her belongings, left to her by her parents, were to be held at a storage center until she was of 18 years of age, or until the circus was unable to pay the rent. Reyna knew which was going to happen first and packed accordingly. After the initial shock and numbness of the first few days, cold reality had set in. Suddenly it seemed that she was hyper-aware of her surroundings and future, but still trapped within her mind.

The situation was betrayal, she thought. She knew that her parents had suffered bringing her into this world, and protecting her from its lurking dangers. They had shrouded her with a different identity on their stage – the fearless Robin, son of the Flying Graysons. She grew to love her alternate identity, but she had treasured her moments with her parents, as Reyna, better. The people who had given both these lives to her, taken away by a single night, without so much as a warning. She had been jerked out of her life with the cold shock of someone plunging into the unforgiving arctic ocean. The new waters scared her, and sometimes the isolation of being without those who really knew her made it suffocating, and she didn't know how long she could last before drowning.

Officers hustled around her, and across the room she could see the temporary holding cells, with passed out drunks and men banging on the bars. It was all so different from the circus, and she hated it. Honestly, it scared her a little bit, but not as much as where she was going to go. The children's detention center. Juvie.

The lady had kneeled in front of her, patiently explaining that she was not allowed to go back to the circus. Mr. Haley had already warned her of this, and let her say goodbye to her friends and home before social services came. The lady also told her that Gotham, while a very nice place, had no beds left in the orphanage, nor funding to provide for another child. The only place left was a center just at the outskirts of Gotham where girls went. The lady didn't tell Reyna what type of girls were there, but Reyna knew. The social services lady was all optimistic about it, telling her that she could behave like an actual girl there, and grow her hair out instead of keeping it short like the circus made it. Reyna immediately wanted to defend her home, but knew that the lady was right in a way she would never know. Her parents had disguised her as a boy to protect her from others at the circus, but Reyna would take that danger any day if it meant she could return back home to her parents arms. Her parents were the only ones who knew her true self.

Reyna didn't respond to the lady, and so the lady walked away to talk with some other people, assuming that Reyna couldn't understand her English. Reyna shivered on the wood bench, holding the duffle bag close as her nine-year-old arms would let her.

 **Reyna**

The girl pushed her, "Why is your hair so short? You look like a boy!". The girl's voice held a foreign accent, like she wasn't used to insulting others in English. Weird.

The others laughed behind Reyna, supporting the foreign girl who insulted her first. One spoke up, "I heard she was from the circus, they probably threw her out because she looked like trash"

Reyna had only survived the past few weeks by burying her emotions and controlling them, not allowing this hell to get the better of her. Once in a while, these moments would take her by surprise and she would stupidly allow herself to be cornered by some gang.

"Ha! That's hilarious, the trash circus threw out circus trash!"

"Pfft, she can't even speak to defend herself." An older girl at the back of the crowd remarked.

The wall holding her back burst. Reyna saw red. She twisted from the girl's grip on her uniform and flipped, hitting the girl's chin with her bare foot. If this place held no form of joy, at least it gave her ample free time to keep in shape. She spent every free minute she had going through drills she learnt in the circus. Anything to keep her distracted. If she ever stopped to think or even try to sleep peacefully, she could feel the tendrils of old memories snaking towards her, and the dark hold of depression trying to grab at her ankles.

The other girls behind her rushed forward and Reyna sent a kick their way, catching one in the stomach, making her double over. Another girl came from the side and punched her in the neck, making her gasp in pain, and groan as she felt an elbow plow into her stomach. Reyna started punching whatever target she could find, and even heard a satisfying _crunch_ as her elbow hit someone's nose. The thrill of blood and adrenaline flowed through her.

The telltale buzz of a Taser broke apart the group of fighting girls. The officer stood tall over the girls, and smiled, "Good, I didn't even have to use it on someone this time."

Reyna and the girl who initiated the locked eyes and glared at each other as the officer grabbed Reyna's arm. She winced at the touch, earning a smirk from the other girl.

She was led away by the guard. He handled her roughly and she stopped resisting after he brought the Taser dangerously close to her side. She allowed herself to be pushed back into her cell, but never let her concentration waver from the guard. Whatever you do, she thought, you can never break me. I have been through far worse than whatever pain your Taser would bring. You might think that it had broken me, but under my quietness you'll find vengeance on a level you didn't know existed.

(AN: ooo, you think she's going to kill zucco? Will batman be able to change her mind and stop her? Is my foreshadowing to obvious?)

 **Bruce**

The only thing that kept the surprise off Bruce's face was his alter ego's trademark poker face. He finished signing the papers and handed them to the lady across the desk, he clearing his throat.

"So his-, uh, _her,_ name is Reyna Grayson?"

The lady across the desk, Lucy, raised her eyebrow in suspicion, "Yes Mr. Wayne, is there a problem with her gender?"

"No! I- uh, of course not."

Lucy gave Bruce a disapproving glare.

Bruce shrank under it and gave a sheepish smile. Inside is head, gears were turning, wondering how could he have missed such a crucial piece of information. Why had Reyna introduced herself as Richard? There was a crucial piece missing, and it defiantly warranted an investigation- but all questions would have to wait. It was a hard fight getting to this office in the first place, especially with his reputation as a playboy, and he would not let any action put his work in jeopardy.

Alfred already was skeptical and worried that a child would not be compatible with his life, no matter how much he previously worried that Bruce would die alone and without a family. The first social services officer he met practically begged him to choose another child that was, ah, less emotionally burdened. They argued that he wasn't capable to support a child during this 'delicate time' but he wasn't about to give up on that child yet. At least he could do a better job than they were.

Bruce rose out of his seat, using all the business-like confidence and control he had not to give Lucy a swift punch to the jaw. It was the end of the fight, and Bruce knew he had finally won. He could tell Lucy was restraining herself as well by the thin smile and tight handshake.

He could not blame her reluctance to hand over any child to him. She had pulled practically every trick in the book before finally allowing Bruce to adopt the child. He cringed at some of the favors he had to pull and the bribes he gave out. Nothing would stop him once he set a goal.

Lucy handed him a slip of paper. "Congratulations on becoming a foster parent Mr. Wayne. Be aware that social services will be checking in every few months. You can pick up Ms. Grayson at the address on the paper.".

Bruce couldn't leave the room fast enough.

 **Bruce**

Bruce watched as the guards brought Reyna out. His breath hitched as they brought the girl out. She looked so different from the boy he briefly saw at the funeral. She was wearing the standard grey uniform, hanging of her shoulders, clearly showing her sharp protruding collarbones. She looked recently beat up, sporting a black eye, and had clear bruises on her neck.

The guard nudged her, obviously expecting something.

"Thank you for picking me up, Mr. Wayne.", she refused to meet his eyes.

This was not the child that had greeted him that fateful day at the circus. However, she was not the unresponsive child Batman had confronted either. He could tell the quiet defiance as she roughly jerked her arm out of the guard's hold. Whatever had happened over the last period, Reyna had somehow pushed through it without breaking. He felt a foreign feeling—pride? He offhandedly wondered if this was a feeling privy only to those who had a child under their care.

The guard stiffened at Reyna's response, but Bruce knew that the guard would attempt no move while he was here.

As Bruce lead Reyna outside after she changed into the cloths he bought her, he fell back into habit, analyzing her as he would anyone on the streets, a habit he picked up as Batman. He held his breath as Reyna hesitated before stepping through the front entrance. She hadn't said anything as they got in the car. Bruce was just glad that the child was out of that place as he drove out. It would be hard to keep her separate from his nightlife, and even harder to keep the habits of his alter ego separate from him, but it was something he was willing to risk for this child who had suffered a similar fate to his.

It was an unnerving drive to the Manor. Bruce had shifted into a somewhat business-like neutral demeanor, unsure of how he should behave towards a child under his care. It scared Bruce how little he could remember of his parents now. How would he take care of Reyna when he didn't even have a parent to model his behavior after? Bruce desperately hoped that the manor would arrive soon and for Alfred to rescue him from this horribly awkward situation.

Reyna sat still somehow, but her eyes darted everywhere, taking in every detail.

"You have a nice car."

Bruce raised his eyebrow, surprised at the direct conversation. Reyna didn't seem like the talking type. "Thank you."

Bruce explained how he was to be her foster parent, and how she would be staying at the Manor with him. He resisted asking any questions about her name, or about her stay at Juvie. That could wait.

"I work at Wayne Enterprises, so I might not be able to be there all the time."

"Oh, okay."

"But I do have a butler, Alfred Pennyworth, and he'll be there to take care of you. You should respect him and listen to him the same as you would do me."

Reyna nodded.

"It'll be a rough first couple of weeks, but I really hope you'll come to like it at the Manor."

This time, she gave a nervous smile that Bruce returned.

They drove into the long driveway of the Manor, and Bruce resisted smiling as he saw Reyna's face plastered against the window. It would do no good for Clark to see him now, all emotiony and weak. He opened the door to let her out, her small fists clutching her duffle bag. She looked vaguely excited at seeing such a large house, but unsure of herself. Alfred, as timely as always, opened the door to receive the arrivals.

"Ah, I assume this is the young Missus Grayson?"

Reyna blushed as Bruce walked up behind her, closing the door behind him, "Yes, it is Alfred. As you, know she will be staying with us".

Alfred looked at him with something Bruce swore was pride, "I'll be taking Ms. Grayson's things to her room," then to Reyna, "Please feel free to make yourself at home. I assume Master Bruce will be giving you a tour of the Manor,"

What? Bruce didn't agree to this! For Gods sake, he had a meeting at the office in an hour. Alfred gave him a pointed look, before Bruce changed his mind.

"Yes, I'll uh, be sure to give Reyna a tour now."

Alfred smiled satisfactorily, "Good. I'll expect both of you to be at dinner then this evening at 6pm.", he looked to Reyna again, "I hope you'll enjoy your time here Miss."

Reyna blushed and looked down again. Bruce smiled in victory.

Too much? Too little? Want me to skip ahead? Have any personal cannons you want to add in? The review, and your existence will be much appreciated. Plus, I might give a shout-out or PM to someone with the best idea ;)


	5. Two Sides of the Story

Chapter 5! I'm getting a ton of views, put can I please have a review? I don't know what to write or improve on if I don't get feedback! Last chapter we saw Reyna arriving at the Manor. This chapter we have a taste of her life, and the problem of Bruce. Don't judge him- he really did think he was going to foster a boy, so you can understand his whole nervousness and stuff- he's just really unsure of himself right now. Sadly, so is Reyna. Will they ever connect? Read!

 **Bruce**

Alfred was preparing breakfast, while Bruce was seated at the large breakfast table. Reyna had yet to come down.

"Sir, I really must warn you on reviewing your extracurricular activities in the breakfast room,", said Alfred disapprovingly.

Bruce ignored him, sorting through printouts he brought up from the cave.

Alfred cleared his throat, and Bruce looked up expectantly. "It also appears the young missus is exceptionally quiet.".

Bruce knew this, and knew it could develop into a real problem. Reyna had adapted tremendously better than he thought possible to life at the manor, but refused to say more than a few words at the time. He thought it might have been a language barrier, but a quick talk to her social services officer assured him that was not the problem. That same talk had brought up the matter of school, but Bruce was adamant Reyna to stay at the Manor for at least another month before facing another change in her life. Maybe soon, but not now.

"I know she's quiet at times, but I'm sure she'll outgrow it."

"Not to be rude, Master Bruce, but how could she have the chance to speak if there is no one to speak to?"

Bruce ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "I know Alfred, but I can't be home all the time. I've just proved myself to be a good company leader, and I'm expected to keep that up. Batman is gaining popularity among the city- Alfred, the people finally trust me and I have no intention of letting them down."

Alfred ignored him, "While your other responsibilities are important, I believe you had promised her your time as well. I know you have been nervous about spending time with a young girl- "

Bruce was taken aback, he didn't think Alfred knew about the whole gender mix up thing that happened when applying to be a foster parent. Bruce hadn't even told Reyna that he had been expecting a boy instead of a girl, in order to spare her feelings and to avoid any awkward moments for him.

"- but I assure you that she is more than capable of anything you would expect of a boy. Just yesterday I had to talk her down from the chandelier,"

Bruce raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Alfred smiled, then returned to his grim expression, "She has been asking where you are during dinner. I suggest you show up sometime soon before she get curious enough to investigate.

Bruce nodded, accepting Alfred's point. Time had run out for him, and he had to face Reyna at some point.

 **Reyna, that afternoon while Bruce was still at work**

She didn't know what to do in the manor. Before, at home in the circus, there would always be work to do, friends to talk with, and things to see. Here, at the manor, just the large empty halls. She could not deny that it was a beautiful house. The architecture was slightly gothic, reminding her of France. She actually was terrified of touching such expensive beauty during her first week. The library and kitchen had quickly become her favorite places, and Alfred soon discovered that it was because they were the places she felt the least "alone" at.

It may be slow, but Reyna was making progress on her own. She just hoped that Bruce would be at the Manor more often. She was curious about him, and still barely knew anything about her foster parent after all. Why was he avoiding her?

-  
 **Bruce, a few weeks later**

"Alfred, where is Reyna?"

"I thought she was to be meeting you in the drawing room to sign papers for school?", Alfred looked at him accusingly, as if it were actually Bruce's responsibility to look after the child.

Alfred had been on his case ever since he first signed the papers to allow him to be her foster parent. Reyna had come to his house from the detention center, still suffering from depression. She had been a quite child, barely talking, and never complaining or asking for anything. They had thought that it was a language barrier for a long time, before consulting with a child psychiatry.

To his credit, he had been improving in the last few weeks. Bruce had finally broken through her "barrier" one night, finding her roaming the hallways after a nightmare. It was pure luck, as he was returning from the cave to get a few hours of sleep before work, and by luck stumbled upon the girl hyperventilating in the library.

That night had shocked him into a plan of action, as he really contemplated his responsibilities as a parent to the child.

He managed to get his work and night schedule moved around so he would be able to talk to Reyna more than a few times a week. Reyna herself had been very forgiving after she learnt he was not what the press said he was outside the manor. Maybe they weren't a perfect family, but Bruce had hope they would get there soon.

 **Bruce**

Bruce was at a loss. Alfred insisted on a movie night for weeks. There had been one, Bruce mused, Alfred had prepped everything in the theatre room. The night was good, and Bruce was finishing his office worn on a laptop on the couch. Disney's Cinderella was playing on the large screen, something he had thought appropriate for Reyna. Bruce had looked over at the girl when the credits rolled, only to find an empty couch and uneaten popcorn. Further investigation revealed that she had retreated into her room roughly ten minutes into the movie, and proceeded to spend the next couple of hours on her laptop. Alfred was adamant that tonight was not going to be a repeat of that disaster.

"How about the Order of the Phoenix?" Bruce threw the question out, hoping to get some reaction out of the girl sitting on the couch. To his surprise, Reyna blushed and shrugged her shoulders. He raised his eyebrows, silently asking for clarification.

" I watched the first one in French a couple years ago…"

Bruce's eyebrows rose higher. French? It was logical, he thought, that the girl would know English for the circus and Romani for her parents, but French? The girl probably picked it up from traveling in Europe, so it was likely that she knew other languages as well. Bruce smiled, and slid the disc in for the second Harry Potter. It would be fun to find out what other languages the girl knew…

The fourth language Bruce learned about was Spanish, when he discovered Reyna hunkered down in one of the game rooms after he came home from work. She was reading the Spanish game Manuel with a computer and what looked like a disassembled game controller. Later, when questioned on one of their rare dinners together, she replied that she was adding some more moves to the character that suited her style. Bruce nodded along, showing no emotion- but in his mind an idea bloomed inside his head. Of course, the idea was immediately stomped out an crushed. He would not let a child come into Batman's life.

Bruce passed Reyna's bedroom to give the appearance of "going to bed", when he heard _The Circle of Life_ playing from behind the door. He cracked it open, just in time to see Reyna quickly close the screen of her laptop. Pretending not to see it, Bruce asked if she knew what the beginning of the song meant.

Reyna looked at him weirdly, "It's basically saying 'the lion' over and over."

Bruce raised his eyebrows, "You know African languages?"

Reyna smirked, "No, I just looked it up on google.".

Bruce grumbled as he closed the door. He could still hear Reyna laughing when he left.

It turned into something of a game, and years later Reyna would joke that it was the thing that finally broke the barrier between Bruce and her. All in all, Reyna had maybe learned six languages informally. By the time she was Robin, the number had expanded to ten.

 **Reyna**

Reyna re-opened the laptop as soon as Bruce left. It would do no good for her foster parent to see what she was up to at night- he was already worrying about how quiet she was, and Alfred was worried by her acrobatics. Guilt wracked her in her sleep and nightmares plagued her, evidenced by the dark bags under her eyes. Her only solution was to find the man responsible for the death of her parents.

Batman had already contacted her the first night. He somehow knew that Mr. Haley would be letting Richard sleep in the field office, where he could be under observation the entire time. It was the first time she had seen the myth with her own eyes, and knew the stories her father told her. Gotham's Dark Knight sweeping through the streets, the very embodiment of fear and terror to some criminals. Whether because she didn't trust him at the time, or because she was emotionally unable to cope, the only Reponses Batman got out of Richard were 'yes' and 'no' that night.

During her time in Juvie, Reyna had put together the pieces within the relatively short time. The men that visited Mr. Haley that night, the awful rumors- they all made sense. Once Bruce took her in, it was only a matter of patience (which, she admitted, there was not a lot of) before she got her hands on a computer.

Her research revealed the man behind her parent's death. The man who killed her life.

Zucco.

Her next step was a risky one. She knew that she would need help to bring down the man. She was nine, and she couldn't even drive. Luckily for her , searching on criminal and police databases also brought another man (thing?) into her view. Maybe it would be a good idea to trust Batman after all.

And on to chapter 6! We're going to skip the whole "Batman works with robin to bring down Zucco" and focus mainly on how Reyna tries to convince Batman that she can continue to work at his side. If you want more on what I skipped, head over to my profile and check out my favorite batman stories and recommendations, I have plenty that you people should check out.

Review to tell me what I'm doing wrong, ideas, and etc. Seriously, I have like a thousand views and three reviews. So thanks in advance and a shout out to those who have followed and favorited already! :)


	6. The Final Chapter

**I didn't have much time, even though I had a ton of inspiration... and I didn't want to give you guys any false hope. This fic is basically discontinued, but someone please continue! There's a lot of potential, especially when the other robins and the Teen Titians come along! If anyone is into that type of thing, please do something with Wally and Reyna! All I ask is that you keep with the idea that Reyna does not want to be treated like a weak little girl, but still is proud of her gender. She's a real fighter!**

 **PM if you do write something so I can post the link here to you get more readers.**

 **Here's all the writing I had down. Most of it is just snippets and things that just came out, unedited and raw... but I didn't have the heart to keep it locked up in my computer :)**

 **(A look into the future, after the whole Zucco affair)**

Within a few months, and with the help of her Robin persona, Reyna had finally found her words again. In the morning she would be singing, often not in English much to Bruce's amusement. She'd cheerfully chatter whenever Bruce was around in the effort to get to know him. Alfred often caught her in the kitchen either "helping" (Something that he dreaded, for safety reasons- Reyna was a worse cook than Bruce) or searching for the cookie jar. In either case, Reyna was sent away, often along with the sounds of curses in German under her breath. She worked diligently through her training as Robin, and Alfred would often have to chastise her for practicing her acrobatics in the Manor and not in the Cave. Her presence was like a bright light, a stark contrast to Batman's darkness. Soon, Reyna would be ready to take her place by his side, and Bruce questioned why he ever thought that the girl was uncappable of being his partner.

 **Reyna**

Reyna rushed todo her homework, along with the extra study material Bruce gave her. This week, they were focusing on analyzing serial crimes and identifying evidence at the crime scene and on bodies.

Give her these subjects a year ago, and Reyna would have thrown up. She'd rather suffer through theoretical math and art history anytime. After seeing her parents' bodies, and the few gory crimes these pasts months as training for robin, Reyna had developed a somewhat objectivity to such cases- at least more so than the average 10 year old.

(AN: Reyna was adopted by Bruce roughly a couple months before turning 10. This way, there was at LEAST a good six month gap for Reyna to discover Bruce's alter ego through getting revenge on Zucco, and convince batman to let her continue fighting at his side. For the record, it took a lot of convincing ;)

Bruce was very adamant on Reyna keeping up with her school and Robin studies. Perhaps he was trying to lessen his guilt at letting a 10 year old accompany him on his mission, or perhaps it was just the rigorous training he required. Either way, Reyna worked hard to become the perfect soldier. Ever since she accidently found out that Bruce was expecting to adopt a boy instead of a girl, she felt the need to prove herself,no matter how much Alfred assured her that her gender didn't matter.

-

 _Later that night, after an early dinner ..._

Reyna slid down the banister (something she only did when Alfred wasn't looking, at the risk of loosing her after-patrol snack). The large hallways should have echoed with her footsteps as she raced to the hidden elevator, but instead she moved with a quite speed gained from hours of stalking criminals in the dark alleys of Gotham.

Casually brushing her fingers against the hidden sensor, she slipped into the elevator revealed as the grandfather clock moved aside. The sensor was a precaution Bruce installed after Reyna accidently followed him to the Cave the first time.

The cave was beautiful in her opinion. The bottom of the vast space was transformed into a top both facility, but the natural walls and bats remained. It was never silent in the cave, and Reyna came to love the bats. Sometimes the light from the main floor would reach the high ceiling and Reyna would catch a glimpse of one of the birds.

 **Robin**

Robin hesitated in front of the weapons rack. She had preferred to fight hand to hand, easily using her flips and twists to get close to pressure points and weak spots. Bruce had initially trained to take advantage of that to make up for what would be a ridiculous difference in size and weight between her and a criminal.

Her hand wrapped around a bo staff, and Bruce nodded his approval. She pulled herself up to the training platform, and saw Alfred making his way over one of the many bridges connecting the various structures of the batcave. Reyna flashed a smile at him as she settled into a stance in front of Bruce. Alfred only returned a stiff nod and quickly left- she knew the old butler never liked training sessions. He always wore a pained expression when tending to the injuries she accumulated, but Reyna would not give up.

Bruce- now Batman with his hood on- took advantage of her distraction.

"When you're in the field, don't let your emotions control you," he instructed as he rushed forward, pushing Reyna off balance.

(AN: I have no personal extensive experience with the staff... But I wish I did :)

She quickly gained it back, sidestepping his next attack and gripped the staff tighter. She swiped She swiped and quickly followed with a jab- one that Bruce blocked at the last minute.

He grunted, "They will only serve as an distraction from your mission."

Batman's remarks always held an underlying message: if you can't handle it, if you mess up on a mission, you're out of the game. He was offering her a position as a partner, not sidekick. Batman could not afford a partner that was not capable of handing things on her own, or unable to provide the proper backup on vital missions.

"Bring up your guard when you turn."

"Yes boss,"

Reyna redoubled her efforts, going on the offensive briefly. Aiming at the neck and bones, she twisted and turned,managing to use the Bo staff to her advantage.

"Ha!"

She flipped back, keeping the staff close to her to block a punch she knew Bruce would throw. Not pausing, she landed in a crouch and swung the staff fast, making Bruce jump. He grabbed the back of her cape and pulled her up, but Reyna used the momentum to continue rising and landed on his shoulders. Bruce grunted in surprise and approval as he threw her to the ground.

Their fight continued for two more minutes, until Bruce held Robin back, pushing the staff into her chest. They panted heavily, faces pressed close to each other, foreheads almost touching,and Robin searched Batman's emotionless blank white lenses on his permanently creased mask. He dropped the staff, and separated, releasing Robin. The air around them was hot with their body heat and sweat, and Robin could faintly hear the comforting heartbeat and steady breath of Batman- something only heard after a good, hard fight.

She broke into a smile despite her exhaustion expecting praise for her improvement. Batman was silent as he dropped of the platform, heading to the plate of drinks Alfred brought down earlier. Robin's smile wavered a little bit. She sat down to stretch, knowing there would be a few more matches before Bruce headed off to work on some cases alone, and then eventually head out to patrol alone. The warmth coursed through her arms and legs, and the familiar pain of stretching made her relax.

She told herself that she got used to the lack of reward and praise a long time ago- it was just Batman's way of showing her how the real world worked. It didn't matter- someday Robin would show him that she was worthy of fighting by his side. She worried about him when he went on patrols, and during hard times worried if he would ever make it back home to her. This way, Robin could make sure that worst-case-scenario would never happen. She will be by his side someday, as a partner, protecting him and making him proud.

 **Robin**

Poison ivy took control of Reyna  
Basically found out Reyna was a girl and ensuing chaos  
Batman obviously reversed obvious effects/ room away ivy's control  
Didn't notice real effects until a couple months later

 **Nightwing**

Reyna couldn't do do this. After all she had done, after all these years she trained as Robin. They were meant to be partners. Together, fighting crime and taking on the world against all odds.

 **Nightwing**

The night had just started, but nightwing already had everything booked.

It was to be the third big bust of his nughtwing career, but the first that extended past his territory in bludhaven. Of course, the location specified was Gotham. No matter how much you distanced yourself, she would always pull you in.

He packed his belt with all the necessary supplies and had researched every factor. Leaving his bike behind, he made his way to the railroad junction by rooftop.

Nightwing bet that train surfing was the best part of being independent. Batman had rarely let hum venture outside of Gotham, and barely internationally on the larger cases.

Being robin was an isolated experience. The justice probably didn't know he existed until he was twelve, nightwing mused. The other superheroes had brought in their own sidekick soon enough, but none ever had the partner relationship that he shred with robin. So much good that did.

The freedom of feeling the wind in your face, going at some unknown high speeds, occasionally having to flatten yourself against the metal to avoid a tunnel like world war one soldiers against the earth to avoid gunfire.

The docks were suspiciously empty for anyone who wasn't informed about the deals that were about to happen

He had researched, Bruce Wayne was in Europe for some international business thing, probably as a cover for some league business, but had left his precious new robin in gotham. There would be no chance that nightwing's night could go wrong.

Of course, immediately everything went wrong.

 **Nightwing**

Nightwing gripped the fire escape with his hands, and pulled himself out of the apartment with a grace that could have only come with years of practice and habit. The rickety fence shook under his weight for a second and gave him a mini shock of adrenaline. He chastised himself for it- how could he jump off buildings if he couldn't stand a fence? Honestly, it was a wonder the fence hadn't rusted into oblivion by now.

Nightwing wasn't expecting anything big tonight after the drug bust last week. It had went well for his first big appearance since he arrived at Bludhaven. Feeling the wind run through his hair, Nightwing continued Running and jumping away from his apartment until he found a gap just right for preforming his favorite flip. The routine ate up a couple miles on the patrol route, and he fell into a kind of calmness- the movements flowing instinctively and easily as the bright lights of Bludhaven's famous boardwalk loomed closer.

 **Nightwing**

(After Wally finds out Nightwing's identity and gender)

Maybe four months after Nightwing quit.

Nightwing was furious, and Kid Flash could clearly tell. They were back at Nightwing's apartment, enjoying popcorn and a movie. Well at least Wally was, Nightwing was furiously tapping away on a large tablet, totally ignoring the half empty box of popcorn swished between them.

"Dude, seriously. What are you doing?" Wally leaned over peeking over Nightwing's shoulder.  
Nightwing was quickly flipping through news reports and blogs, most featuring Batman- and who? Wally could have recognized that brightly colored costume anywhere, but it wasn't possible. The robin persona was long gone, probably burned or thrown off the side of a cliff for all Wally knew. Nightwing had made sure of that when she cut off all contact with Batman. Wally was pretty sure the two superheroes hadn't spoke to each other in months. He didn't have to look at Nightwing to know she would be furious.  
"I can't believe he would bring another child into this! He KNOWS that his life is no place for any child. The child is going to die."

"Are you going to stop him?"

Nightwing looked at Wally, "If that kid dies, its Batman that's going to be hurt. Not me."

But Wally knew the hurt ran deeper than that. Both of then noticed that the new robin was male, and but neither dared to voice it- what if Nightwing's inital suspisions were right? What if Bruce hadn't wanted a daughter? What if the first robin wasn't enough?  
The details glared them in the face but Nightwing just put the tablet aside.  
Wally raised his eyebrows as Nightwing rose from the pile of blankets and food wrappers.

"I'm turning in Wally, you can finish the movie and use the guestbedtoom if you dont feel like running back tonight."

 **Bruce**

Bruce remembered when she was just a child with a talent for finding dangerously high places. Luckily for her, Bruce also had plenty of experience with high places.

Reyna was a beautiful ten-year-old in his opinion. Her black hair, short it may be, framed her tanned face and blue eyes nicely. He remembered when the press first thought he had adopted a girl, and the whole ensuing fiasco. He had quickly learned, that while preforming as a boy, Reyna Grayson clearly defined herself as a girl.

Her first debut was at a ball he had hosted for his usual social group. He had worried for weeks, wondering how Reyna would react. After finally breaking the news of the ball, Reyna had been understandably nervous just as Bruce had feared. He supposed she felt self-conscious, and gave in to her begging to wear a leggings and rich jacket ensemble. To his surprise, the second Reyna realized many of the other young women and daughters were wearing beautiful dresses, she came up to him and shyly asked if she too could wear a dress, if it were not too expensive or troublesome for him. Bruce said yes, and Reyna childishly promised him to not tell any of her school friends of her newest decision.

The demeanor had changed somewhat seeing that he did not drink as luxuriously, keeping Reyna in mind, but he still had the guilty pleasure of having more than one lady on his arm. He swore Reyna almost died laughing after the guests had left that first night, and it did occur to him that Social Bruce's interests often seemed very Batman's. In the end he chalked her reaction up to the late night and too many rounds at the dessert table.

He would give anything for his little girl to whisper her secrets and wishes in his ear again. To hear her careless laugh, swinging down the banister. To see her small bright form accompany the dark and broody batman through gotham's coldest nights. He would give anything for her to stand


End file.
